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AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · 6d

Only made it to two author talks at the #BathChildrensLitFestival this year, but they’ve both been so wonderful. Youngest (5yo) has been so inspired by @nadiashireen.bsky.social I keep finding little Eric Dynamites around the house 🥰👒
#RaisingReaders #AuthorInspo #MiniIllustrator

White paper with a child’s drawing of a woodlouse character in a top hat, tucked into the corner of a small bathroom mirror hung on a blue wall.

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AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · 16d

Burnout

The house was burning.
I got the kids out.
Saved the most precious items.

‘Did you get a bucket of water?!’
I called from the upstairs window,
my lungs filling with smoke.

‘No!’ He called back from the street.
‘I was sleeping!’

#Burnout #MentalLoad #LonelyParenting #ShiftWork

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · 16d

Three weeks in to the academic year and I’m already feeling burnt out. #TeacherLife #EnglishMarking

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · 16d

This has struck a chord this morning.

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AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Sep 6

Just discovered Noel Streatfeild was not a man. This misunderstanding is as baffling as discovering Tennessee Williams and the Child Catcher weren’t female 🤣 How have I not realised these things until I’m an advanced adult?!

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Aug 31

This has been a golden find for my 5yo. It has enough decodable words for her to join in reading aloud, although she knows the whole thing off by heart now. She did a Rainbows badge all about it whilst dressed as a cat 💕 #VivianeSchwartz #RaisingReaders #GirlGuidingBookLover #SummerReads

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AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Aug 31

So depressing having the emails I sent myself in July with the Sept prep rolling in and unfurling like flea ridden stray dogs wandering into my home and wanting me to give them tummy rubs. #TeacherLife #JealousOfMyPastSelf #SummerHolidays #SeptemberAmnesia

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Aug 27

My five year old has discovered the Spice Girls #GirlPower #90sFeminism #Wannabe ✌🏻

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Aug 27

Beyond excited to surprise my 8yo with seeing #PamelaButchart in the flesh: she’s a HUGE fan. Got an email today that the session is cancelled. She doesn’t know and I understand fully why it’s cancelled but I’m still so disappointed for her. #FirstWorldProblems #RaisingReaders #ThenWeGasped

Reposted by AletheaJane

Gareth @garethw1.bsky.social · Aug 24

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AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 29

What a view! 😍 #CampingWithKids #OutdoorsAdventures #FairWeatherCamper

Nighttime view of a colourfully lit tent with the sea and trees beyond and city lights on the horizon

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AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 26

My main gripe with #Hercules though, as is always the case with anything set in ‘ancient’ times: the unnecessary mash up of time periods, cultures, mythologies… ancient Rome & ancient Greece are not the same thing! Mosaics in the set design, jokes about Rome, gladiator costumes… 🤦🏻‍♀️ 🙄 #ClassicsNerd

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 26

2/2 #Hercules The leads did their very best but costume and characterisation were lacking. Muses were PHENOMENAL. Set was impressive. Choreography needed energy & - along with Hades - gave it all a cheap pantomime feel. Female roles better developed. Story quite different from the film.

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 26

1/2 Saw the new #Hercules today. 8yo absolutely loved it - her first West End show. She was desperate to spend pocket money on merch but her £5 didn’t even remotely stretch to a keyring #RipOff I felt the show was lazy with what I assume was a fairly large budget…

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 25

#FlowersExhibition at the #SaatchiGallery was splendiferous. My girls were inspired to sketch, dance and cartwheel. So many different forms & interpretations. Kids loved the interactive installation and the free family watercolours workshop was great too! 8yo snapped this pic 🥰 #BlossomsAndBrushes

Close up of orange and blue dried flowers from La Fleur Morte at the Saatchi Gallery Flowers exhibition.

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AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 24

My 5yo made up a joke:
What do you call a unicorn with no horn? 🦄

…

…

…

A duck. 🦆

You’re welcome.

#KidsJokes #FiveYearsOld #KidLogic

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AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 22

Where are you based? Or are you international through the medium of online platforms?

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AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 22

Browsing the #BathChildren’sLiterature festival events and sprayed wine everywhere on realising Pamela Butchart was doing a session. My 8yo is OBSSESSED. We read all her books this year. She’s gonna be stoked when she finds out she’s going to meet her! #KidLit #RaisingReaders

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 22

Two things I did today that confirmed my #middleaged status: deliberated extensively over two shades of grey carpet; got excited when vinegar cleaned out my steam mop and made it work again. #LivingTheMiddleAgeDream #GettingOldMeansI’mHere

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 19

Traditional start to the holidays: sign up to the library’s summer reading challenge. 8yo has read three books today. She’ll have smashed the challenge by tomorrow evening 😂 #SummerReadingChallenge2025 #ReadingGoals #RaisingReaders #BookwormInTraining

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 19

I’m pretty sure this is a trip to the underworld or some such. 8yo thinks Malik is a very suspicious character…

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AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 17

Just loving #ScreamoftheWhistle by @erandalljones.bsky.social It’s mine and the 8yos bedtime book of choice at the moment and we’re have very different theories about what’s going on! #ReadingWithKids #ParentingLife #ReadAloud #BooksForKids #KidsWhoRead #BedtimeStories #SupportAuthors

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AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 12

Another fantastic round of Spare Room’s #Gutenberg! the Musical @rondotheatre.bsky.social So much I’d forgotten from last time 🧢 🧢 💕
#SupportTheArts #CommunityTheatre #BudAndDoug #SpareRoomTheatre

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 10

Five year old was freaked by Siri, thinking it was a person or robot that might one day come out of my phone. A valid fear perhaps but what frightens me most is that I ended up using ChatGPT to write a script to explain it as my initial attempts all fell flat or frightened her more 🫥😬

AletheaJane @aletheajane.bsky.social · Jul 10

Youngest woke this morning cuddled up next to me, took a deep breath and said, ‘mmmm you smell like love.’ 💕